Page 83 of Has-Been
Has reached up and caught Seth’s arm as he stepped in the police officer’s direction.
“VP, remember where we are. They helped save our girl, yeah?”
Some of the tension left Seth’s shoulders, and he let out a long heavy sigh.
“Jesus. I’m sorry, officer. We’ve been going out of our fucking minds trying to find her.”
“And we have questions about her assailant, and what happened while he had her in captivity.”
“Can we do this tomorrow though? Can we please take her home, let her get clean and get something to eat?”
“There could be trace evidence-”
“He… he… left his stuff in my hair,” I whimpered, pulling away from Has, who still looked so different, and I just couldn’t work out why. My head couldn’t comprehend what was going on around me. All I knew was that I was safe again, and I really wanted to wash away that monster’s touch and smell.
Has-Been
Iwasliterallyabouttokill someone. He’d done what to my fucking woman? I let out a low growl and stood up, reaching down and lifting Elise into my arms, making sure to keep her well covered with that blanket.
“I’m taking my woman home, and you can deal with all of this shit tomorrow. Right now she needs to feel safe and clean, and that’s my priority.”
I started walking, with that damn policewoman following me.
“With all due respect, sir, finding the man who did this to her is a huge priority. You could be destroying vital evidence, and keeping us from finding him.”
Stitch must have got in her way or something, because suddenly she wasn’t following me anymore, and I was heading for the door, and our van. Reacher and Lissa were waiting in the van, because we figured Elise might need Lissa, maybe even more than she needed me or Stitch.
“Wait up, man, let me get the door.” Stitch edged past us, and led us outside, no longer followed by any of the police.
He moved ahead once more as we reached the van, and pulled that door open too. My girl was huddled tight against my chest, with her face buried in my neck, and her hands clutching at my jacket. I just wanted to take her somewhere away from anything that could hurt her ever again.
I had no idea what that monster had done to her, but I wasn’t leaving her fucking side ever again, so she’d have to get used to never having another moment of privacy until the bastard was dealt with.
Lissa sat close to us on the drive back to the clubhouse, but Elise wasn’t speaking, and all she did was snuggle tighter against me, if anyone tried to get her to talk. It was killing me, having her so close and not knowing what she’d been through. I’d seen enough to know she wasn’t wearing much of anything under that damn blanket, and I’d seen bruises on her ankles and wrists, and on her fucking face, so I knew the bastard had been rough with her, probably even beaten on her.
I’d tear his fucking intestines out and choke him with them, when I figured out who the hell did this to her.
“Has! For fuck’s sake.” I realised the van wasn’t moving, and it was just me and Elise left inside it, with Stitch glaring in at us from the road beside the sliding door.
“Jesus. Yeah, we’re coming, but Stitch?”
He raised his eyebrows, looking no less frustrated with me.
“What?”
“Make sure there’s nobody around. I don’t want them seeing her like this.”
He slammed a hand against the side of the van as he cursed me.
“You think I didn’t already think of that? She’s my fucking sister.”
I struggled up and out of the van, dodging Stitch as he tried to take her from me.
“She needs me right now, so back off.” I strode ahead, but that gesture was wasted when I had to wait for him to get the door for me. I didn’t know where Reacher or Lissa had gone, but I didn’t cross paths with anyone on the way up to our room, and when I got there, Reacher was standing outside the door.
“We’ll leave you guys in peace until Elise is ready to talk, brother. Shout if you guys need anything. Lissa’s on standby, and Ally cooked and covered it up for you guys. I’m betting Elise could do with something to eat.”
Elise made a muffled sound against my chest, and I nodded at Reacher.
